For the past 29 years of his life, “Sugar” Shane Mosley has only known one thing, and therefore it is not a least bit surprising that when he steps into the ring against “Wild Man” Ricardo Mayorga in the main event junior middleweight attraction Saturday Sept. 27 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, it will be the continuing of a Hall of Fame boxing legacy etched in stone.

For most fighters, 37 years of age signals the beginning of the end but for Mosley, who will fight for the 50th time since turning pro in 1993, his bout against Mayorga is more like a brand new beginning.

Not that Mosley has anything to be ashamed of. Having won 44 (37 KOs) and lost just five times and is 5-1 since 2005, who is to argue that the best is not yet to come?

“I love the sport and I just love to fight. I definitely love the money that comes along with it, but I just love to spar and be in the gym. I will fight for three or four more years because I love it. I love the boxing game,” Mosley said from his Big Bear training camp recently.

This from a guy who fought for peanuts until he was 23-0 and his first big payday came in 1997 against Phillip Holiday when he captured his first world title, the IBF lightweight crown for which he made $45,000.

Money is the least of his worries now, having secured a partnership with promotional giant Golden Boy Promotions and banking in excess of $15 million in his last four fights alone.

“This is a very important fight for me. I want to shine in front of my home fans and show the people of the boxing world that I am ready for the best competition there is out there,” he added.

Mayorga is no cake walk at 29-6 (23 KOs) and has already pounded one Southern California boxing favorite into retirement when he soundly defeated Fernando Vargas at the Staples Center in 2007. His only two losses in his last four fights came at the hands of icon Oscar De La Hoya and Puerto Rican legend Felix Trinidad.

Still, no task seems to faze a gem as gifted as Mosley who has a resume that reflects his glorious amateur past as a three time national champion, 1998 professional Fighter of the Year and world titles at lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight divisions.

Mosley is the only fighter to have defeated De La Hoya twice and has his sparkling, light hazel eyes planted on newly crowned welterweight king Antonio Margarito.

However, for any such plans to materialize he must stop “El Matador” in his treks at the Home Depot Center, something that one Mosley foe failed to do twice.

Mayorga mashed out Vernon Forrest in three rounds in 2003 to take away his WBA and WBC welterweight championship belts and came right back six months later to beat Forrest by majority decision to retain the titles.

By contrast, Mosley lost in back-to-back encounters to Forrest in 2002 by unanimous decision.

Perhaps even in defeat, something can be said for facing the likes of Sugar Shane Mosley, who has frequently been compared to one of the all time greats Sugar Ray Robinson.

It could be said that Mayorga got Mosley’s leftovers when he met both Forrest and Vargas. Neither fighter has seemingly been the same since, with Vargas hanging up his gloves for good after two brutal beatings by Mosley.

Mosley came up a point short against reigning welterweight king Miguel Cotto, and subsequently two fights later, Cotto was on the canvas against Margarito who has previously lost to Paul Williams.

At stake for Mosley is something much more significant than a championship belt. He risks his reputation and a dent in his legacy if he loses to Mayorga.

“My legacy will always be that I am the type of guy who will fight anybody and that I am a crowd pleaser,” he stated humbly.

He has watched plenty of footage of Mayorga, especially against Vargas and De La Hoya.

“Oscar told me that he is very heavy handed,” Mosley stated.

De La Hoya should know. He blew away Mayorga in Las Vegas, scoring a six round knockout over the Nicaraguan.

After the fight, both Mosley and his long time friend and business partner could be seen excitingly sharing the joy of the victory like two kids in a candy store.

De La Hoya is expected to be on hand at the Home Depot Center to hopefully rejoice in victory with Mosley after he defeats Mayorga.

Tickets for the event are modestly priced at $350, $150, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets, on the web at www.Ticketmaster.com or charged by phone at (213) 480-3232. Tickets are also available for sale at The Home Depot Center Box Office, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.